Short Summary

THE NEW REGENT OF GREECE, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GEORGE ZOITAKIS, ATTENDED ATHENS CATHEDRAL YESTERDAY (MONDAY) - HIS FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT.

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THE NEW REGENT OF GREECE, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GEORGE ZOITAKIS, ATTENDED ATHENS CATHEDRAL YESTERDAY (MONDAY) - HIS FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT. THE REGENT SAT IN THE ROYAL CHAIR IN THE CATHEDRAL AND LED THE NATION IN PRAYER, A TRADITIONAL CEREMONY IN GREECE ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.

GENERAL ZOITAKIS, WHO HAS PLEDGED HIMSELF TO PRESERVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY, DROVE TO THE CATHEDRAL IN A CLOSED CAR ON A CEREMONIAL JOURNEY NORMALLY TAKEN BY SELF-EXILED KING CONSTANTINE. BUT THIS YEAR THERE WAS NO COLOURFUL ROYAL MOUNTED ESCORT IN THE PROCESSION. DRESSED IN MILITARY UNIFORM AND ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE, THE REGENT WAS GREETED ON THE CATHEDRAL STEPS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, COLONEL GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS, THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, STYLIANOS PATAKOS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY-BACKED GOVERNMENT. HIGH-RANKING OFFICERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND CIVIL SERVANTS ATTENDED THE SERVICE, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE PRIMATE OF GREECE, ARCHBISHOP IERONYMOS.